Valve apparatus for tilting outboard motor



June 1, 1965 1.. E. cAss 3,186,375

VALVE APPARATUS FOR TILTING OUTBOARD MOTOR Filed July 16, 1962 453 j n IINVENTOR 27 582 lzyrzzz C4525 ATTOEA/E Y5 boat.

United States Patent 3,186,375 VALVE APPARATUS FOR TILTING OUTBOARDMOTOR Lester E. Cass, 731 Cross St., Anoka, Minn. Filed July 16, 1962,Ser. No. 209,966 Claims. (Cl. 115-41) This invention relates toapparatus for tilting the upright outboard drive assembly of a powerboat, and more particularly relates to control mechanism for saidapparatus.

It has been a problem in the past to accurately and easily control thetilting and positioning of the outboard drive assembly of a power boat..Of course, one of the primary advantages of employing an outboardengine or an inboard-outboard motor (wherein the engine is mounted in aninboard position, and the outboard drive assembly is mounted on thetransom) is that the drive assembly may be tilted up out of the water,or to a desired angle so as to properly adjust the position and angle ofthe propeller in accordance with the design and loading of the boat.

' An object of my invention is to provide a new and improved valve andcontrol apparatus of simple and inexpensive construction and operationfor controlling the til-ting of the drive assembly and housing of apower Another object of my invention is to provide a novel valveapparatus for controlling the tilting of the outboard drive housing andassembly of a power boat and for locking said housing and assembly inany of a multiplicity of desired positions.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will more fullyappear from the following description made in connection with theaccompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to similarparts throughout the several views and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a boat with the present inventionapplied thereto;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view, partly broken away, of a portion of theapparatus;

FIG. 3 is a detail section view taken at 33 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a detail section view taken at 44 in FIG. 3; and

- FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the hydraulic system.

One form of the present invention is shown in the drawings and isdescribed herein.

. In FIG. 1 is seen a power boat B having a conventional forward cockpitC and transom T to which is secured an outboard drive assembly andhousing D which is tiltable rearwardly and upwardly to an inclinedposition so as toraise the propeller out of the water. It will be notedthat in this particular installation, the drive assembly is formedintegrally with the upper engine portion in an outboard motor, but itwill be understood that the engine supplying power to the outboardassembly D could as well be installed within the boat in a so-calledinboard-outboar arrangement.

In any event, the drive assembly D is tiltable rearwardly and upwardlywith respect to the transom T of the boat. It will be understood thatthe drive assembly D in many instances is large, cumbersome and heavyand may not easily be manually tilted upwardly.

A bracket or yoke is aflixed to the tiltable drive assembly D at aposition above the water line, and extendable hydraulic cylinders 11 aredisposed on opposite sides of the drive assembly D and extend generallyin a fore-and-aft direction. The forward ends of the hydrauli-ccylinders are pivotally attached for limited upward and downwardswinging to the transom T of the boat as "ice by brackets 12. Theextendable piston rod 13 of each of the hydraulic cylinders is connectedto the yoke 19 so as to tilt the drive assembly upwardly when the pistonrod is extended from the cylinder.

As will be seen in FIG; 5, the hydraulic cylinders 11 are of the doubleacting type with upper and lower fluid chambers 14 and 15 respectivelydisposed above and below the pistons 16 to which are attached the pistonrods 13. p

A single hydraulic fluid transmission line 17 extends between thecontrol cockpit and the transom T of the boat. The forward end of theline 17 is connected to a controllable means, indicated in general bynumeral 18 for selectively applying, retaining and relieving hydraulicfluid pressure in the line 17. Such means 18 may take any suitablespecific form and is shown diagrammatically in FIG. 5 as including areservoir 19, hydraulic fluid pump 20, raising hydraulic fluid from thereservoir 19, and pumping the hydraulic fluid through a check valve 21to the line 17. A return line 17a is provided between the transmissionline 17 and the reservoir 19 but flow through the return line 17a iscontrolled by an on-oflt' valve 22 which may be controlled by anysuitable means such a rotatable cap 23 around a portion of the pumphousing. It will be seen that by reciprocating the pump handle 20a fluidpressure is applied into line 17 which is retained therein by checkvalve 21 and valve 22, and when pressure in the line 17 is to berelieved the valve 22 is opened so as to allow hydraulic fluid to returnto the reservoir 19.

The rear end of fluid transmission line 17 is connected to a valveapparatus indicated in general by numeral 24 at the supply port 25thereof. The valve apparatus includes an integral housing 26 having thesupply port 25 therein and having a first pair of discharge ports 27respectively connected by conduits 28 to the lower cylinder chamber 15.It will be seen that the discharge ports 27 are in endwise alignmentwith each other and are interconnected by an unobstructed passage 27awhich is also in communicating relation with an unobstructed passage 25aextending obliquely from the supply port 25. Of course suitable fittingsare provided for connecting the several ports through the respectiveconduits 28 and line 17.

The housing 26 is also provided with ports 29 in which are providedsuitable fittings for connecting the ports to 7 conduits 30 which arealso connected in communicating relation to the upper fluid chambers 14of the hydraulic cylinders. The ports 29, 25 and 27 are all disposed insubstantially vertical alignment with each other at the flow side of thehousing 26. The ports 29 are disposed in endwise alignment with eachother and are interconnected by a bore 31 which is unobstructed to fluidflow.

The housing 26 also defines a reservoir 32 having access ports 33, 34and 35, each being closed with a suitable threaded plug. The uppermostplug 36 has a vent hole 37 therein.

Adjacent the front portion of the housing 26 is provided an upright bore38, the upper and lower ends 38a and 38b of which are threaded and aredisposed in communicating relation with bore 31 and passage 27a and areclosed by plugs 39 and 40 respectively. Bore 38 has a shoulder 41 formedtherein and defining a valve seat for a ball check valve element 42which is normally urged downwardly by a spring 43 retained in a socket39a of the plug 39. The portion 380 of the bore, below the valve seatcommunicates with an elongate and downwardly inclined passage 44 formedin a central web portion 45 extending into the reservoir 32 and thelower end of passage 44 communicates with the bottom of the reservoir.

A reduced intermediate portion 33d of the bore 38 provides a bearingaperture allowing sliding movement of a stem 46 which extends upwardlyinto proximity with the ball element 42 and is aflixed at its lower endto a piston 47 which is disposed in a piston chamber 38e and is normallyurged downwardly by a coil spring 48. The piston 47 also has a reducedstem 49 formed integrally thereof and extending downwardly through thepassage 27a for engagement against the plug 40. It will be seen that thepiston 47 is sealed'against the peripheral wall of the piston chamber38:: bya resilient rubber sealing ring 50.

It will be seen that the passages 25a and 27a taken together with theirrespective ports and conduits 28 provide an unobstructed fluidtransmitting passage between the rear end of transmission line 17 andthe lower chambers of the cylinder.

It will further be seen that passages 31, 44 and the upper portion ofbore 38 when considered together with the conduits 3t define a flowchannel between the reservoir 32 and the upper chambers 14 of thecylinder; and a check valve normally preventing flow from the chambers14 to the reservoir is provided by a ball valve element 42. The ballvalve element is unseated by upward movement of stem 46 which isproduced in response to application by the pressure in the passage 27afrom the pump so as to allow flow from the upper chambers 14 to thereservoir 32.

In operation, let it be first assumed that the outboard assembly D isdisposed in substantially upright position for normally driving the boatB and assume that it is desired to tilt the drive assembly rearwardlyand upwardly. By operating the pump 20 with the valve 22 in closedcondition hydraulic fluid pressure is applied through line 17 into thepassage 27a and into the lower fluid chambers 15. Fluid pressure in thepassage 27a is transmitted against the piston 47, thereby causing up-Ward movement of the piston and stem 46- to unseat the valve element 42.Hydraulic fluid then flows through the line 17 and passage 27a to thelower chambers 15 of the cylinders 11; and hydraulic fluid also flowsfrom the upper cylinder chambers 14 to the reservoir 32, therebyeflecting movement of the piston 16 and piston'rod 13 which results inupward and rearward tilting of the drive assembly D. It will beunderstood that it only a small quantity of hydraulic fluid is pumpedinto the lower cylinder chambers 15, the drive assembly D will be tiltedonly partially upwardly and the upper cylinder chambers 14, althoughreduced in size, remain filled with the hydraulic fluid. After the driveassembly is allowed to remain in this partially tilted position, thedrive assembly is thereupon locked in this position. The spring 48returns piston 47 to its normal position so as to allow valve element 42to seat again. In the event of external force being applied to the driveassembly D, tending to tilt the drive assembly either upwardly ordownwardly, further upward tilting is prevented by the ball valveelement 42 preventing escape of any further hydraulic fluid from theupper cylinder chambers 14, and downward tilting of the drive assembly Dis prevented by the maintenance of the pressure in line 17.

Of course further operation of pump 20 will produce similar additionalupward tilting of the drive assembly D.

When the valve 22 is opened, pressure in the line 17 is relieved,whereupon the weight of the drive assembly D applies pressure againstthe piston rod 13 and pistons 16 causing hydraulic fluid to be expelledfrom the lower cylinder chambers 15 through the passages 27a and to theline 17. Simultaneously, movement of the pistons 16 causes enlargementof the upper cylinder chambers 14 thereby causing a suction pressure towithdraw hydraulic fluid from the reservoir 32 and to pass around theball check valve 42 and into the upper cylinder chambers 14. It has beenfound that because the valve apparatus 24, is affixed to the boatadjacent the transom T or actually on the transom T, the resistance tohydraulic fluid flow in the short conduits wand 28 between the valveapparatus 24 and the cylinders 11 will prevent suction of air into thesystem through the normal or conventional glands of the cylinders aroundthe piston rods thereof. The cylinders are maintained in' fully filledcondition at all times as are all of the hydraulic fluid passages,channels and transmission lines. This elimination of any air in thehydraulic system provides positive and reliable operation to tilt thedrive assembly D to the desired angle and to prevent any desirablebouncing or tilting oscillation thereof.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made inthe form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts withoutdeparting from the scope of my invention which consists of the mattershown and described herein and set forth inthe appended claims.

What is claimed is: v

1. Apparatus for tilting and locking the outboard drive assembly andhousing of a power boat at a predetermined angle with respect to theboat transom,

comprising a hydraulic cylinder connectible between the boat transom anddrive assembly, said cylinder having a movable piston and an extendiblepiston rod, said cylinder having first and second fluid chambers atopposite sides of the piston, the piston rod extending through saidfirst chamber to effect tilting of the drive assembly upwardly uponapplication of hydraulic fluid pressure in the second chamber,

a single hydraulic fluid transmission line,

controllable means selectively applying, retaining and relievinghydraulic fluid pressure in the line,

reservoir means supplying hydraulic fluid to said controllable means,

a valve apparatus connected between the line and the cylinder and havingan unobstructed fluid transmission passage communicating between theline and the second fluid chamber for cooperating with said controllablemeans in causing upward tilting of said drive assembly and locking ofsaid drive assembly against downward tilting, said valve apparatus alsohaving a second fluid reservoir therein and a flow channel connectingthe bottom of the second reservoir with the first fluid chamber of thecylinder, said valve apparatus having a check valve in said flow channeland obstructing flow from the cylinder to the second reservoir wherebyto normally lock the drive assembly against upward tilting, and saidvalve apparatus having means opening said check valve in response to apredetermined fluid pressure in said passage whereby to permit fluidtransmission from the first chamber to the second reservoir whenhydraulic fluid pressure is applied in the second chamber for tiltingsaid drive assembly upwardly.

2. Apparatus for cooperating with a controllable hydraulic fluidpressure source in operating and locking a double acting hydrauliccylinder, comprising,

a valve apparatus having a first port and a second port and having acontinuously unobstructed fluid transmission passage communicatingbetween the first and second ports for carrying and transmitting fluidunder pressure, said first port being adapted for connection with such afluid pressure source, said valve apparatus also having a third port anda fluid reservoir with hydraulic fluid therein and a flow channelconnecting the bottom of the reservoir with the third port, said secondand third ports being adapted for connection to the opposite ends of thedouble acting hydraulic cylinder, said valve apparatus having a checkvalve in said flow channel and obstructing flow from the third port tothe reservoir, and said valve apparatus having pressure responsive meansin fluid communication with said passage and opening said check valve inresponse to application of predetermined hydraulic fluid pressurein saidpassage and thereby permitting hydraulic fluid to flow from the thirdport to the reservoir.

3. In combination with a power boat having a forward control cockpit anda depending but rearwardly and upwardly tiltable outboard drive assemblyand housing secured adjacent the transom of the boat;

a hydraulic cylinder connected between the transom and a singlehydraulic fluid transmission line extending between the forward controlcockpit and the transom,

controllable means in the forward cockpit and selectively applying,retaining and relieving hydraulic fluid pressure in the line,

a quantity of hydraulic fluid in the upper and lower cylinder chambers,in the line and in the controllable means,

a valve apparatus connected between the line and the cylinder and havingan unobstructed fluid transmission passage communicating between theline and the first fluid chamber for causing upward tilting of the driveassembly and locking of said drive assembly against downward tilting,said valve apparatus also having a fluid reservoir therein and a flowchannel connecting the bottom of the reservoir with the second fluidchamber of the cylinder, said valve apparatus having a check valve inthe flow channel and obstructing flow from the cylinder to thereservoir, said valve apparatus having means opening said check valve inresponse to a predetermined fluid pressure in said passage whereby topermit hydraulic fluid flow into and out of the lower and upper fluidchambers respectively of the chamber.

4. A valve apparatus for use with a double acting hydraulic cylinder,

comprising a housing having first and second delivery ports respectivelyconnectible with the opposite ends of the cylinder and also having asupply port and also having a vented reservoir chamber therein, saidhousing having a confined flow channel between the second delivery portand the bottom of the reservoir to cause hydraulic fluid flow from thereservoir to the second port in response to application of vacuumpressure to said second port,

a valve element in said flow channel, said housing defining a valve seatin said channel and seating the valve element and preventing flow fromsaid second port to the reservoir,

said housing also having an unobstructed flow passage between the firstdelivery port and the supply port for free transmission of fluid andpressure,

said housing also having an elongate piston chamber in opencommunication with said passage,

a control piston slidably and sealingly mounted in said chamber to bemoved under influence of hydraulic pressure in the passage,

spring means restraining movement of the piston under influence of thehydraulic fluid in the passage,

a mechanical connection between the piston and the whereby to allow flowto the reservoir only upon application of predetermined minimumhydraulic pressure in the passage.

5. A valve apparatus,

comprising an integral housing having a top, bottom,

front, rear portions and opposite ends,

said housing having an enclosed reservoir compartment adjacent the rearportion,

a pair of spaced and unrestricted upper and lower passages adjacent thefront portion and extending endwise through the housing and betweenopposite ends thereof,

a flow channel adjacent the front portion and extending obliquelydownwardly from one of said ends to said lower passage for transmittinghydraulic fluid and pressure thereto,

an upright bore adjacent the front portion and extending endwise throughthe housing between said top and bottom portions and in communicatingrelation with said passages, said bore defining an upwardly facing valveseat below the upper passage, said bore also defining a piston chamberabove the lower passage, said bore also defining a bearing aperturespaced from and disposed between the seat and the charm ber,

an elongated aperture in the housing and extending obliquely forwardlyand upwardly between the bottom of said reservoir compartment and thebore at a 9 position below the valve seat,

a lower plug in the bore adjacent said bottom portion,

an upper plug in the bore adjacent said top portion and having aspring-mounting receptable on the inner end thereof,

a ball valve element on the seat in the bore,

a spring mounted in the receptacle of the upper plug and bearing againstthe valve element,

a piston slidable in said piston chamber and having a sealing ringthereon slidably engaging the chamber wall, said piston having a reduceddownwardly extending projection engaging the lower plug and maintainingthe piston above the lower passage, said piston also having a ball valveoperating stem projecting upwardly through the bearing aperture of thebore and into closely spaced relation with the ball valve element, saidpiston being movable upwardly under influence of hydraulic pressure inthe lower passage to lift the ball valve element of the seat and therebypermit hydraulic fluid flow from the upper passage to the reservoir,

a spring in the piston chamber and bearing downwardly on the piston andpermitting upward movement of the piston only in response to thehydraulic pressure in the lower passage only in excess of apredetermined minimum pressure,

and means at the opposite ends of said passages for connecting fluidconduits thereto.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,308,099 1/43Obecny 121-46 2,362,339 11/44 Armington 81420 X 2,470,778 5/49 Lankouskiet al. 91420 2,928,243 3/ 60 Albright -41 2,958,339 11/60 Meddock137-622 3,024,758 3/62 Lieber 115-41 FERGUS S. MIDDLETON, PrimaryExaminer.

MILTON BUCHLER, Examiner.

1. APPARATUS FOR TILTING AND LOCKING THE OUTBOARD DRIVE ASSEMBLY ANDHOUSING OF A POWER BOAT AT A PREDETERMINED ANGLE WITH RESPECT TO THEBOAT TRANSOM, COMPRISING A HYDRAULIC CYLINDER CONNECTIBLE BETWEEN THEBOAT TRANSOM AND DRIVE ASSEMBLY, SAID CYLINDER HAVING A MOVABLE PISTONAND AN EXTENDIBLE PISTON ROD, SAID CYLINDER HAVING FIRST AND SECONDFLUID CHAMBERS AT OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE PISTON, THE PISTON ROD EXTENDINGTHROUGH SAID FIRST CHAMBER TO EFFECT TILTING OF THE DRIVE ASSEMBLYUPWARDLY UPON APPLICATION OF HYDRAULIC FLUID PRESSURE IN THE SECONDCHAMBER, A SINGLE HYDRAULIC FLUID TRANSMISSION LINE, CONTROLLABLE MEANSSELECTIVELY APPLYING, RETAINING AND RELIEVING HYDRAULIC FLUID PRESSUREIN THE LINE, RESERVOIR MEANS SUPPLYING HYDRAULIC FLUID TO SAIDCONTROLLABLE MEANS, A VALVE APPARATUS CONNECTED BETWEEN THE LINE AND THECYLINDER AND HAVING AN UNOBSTRUCTED FLUID TRANSMISSION PASSAGECOMMUNICATING BETWEEN THE LINE AND THE SECOND FLUID CHAMBER FORCOOPERATING WITH SAID CONTROLLABLE MEANS IN CAUSING UPWARD TILTING OFSAID DRIVE ASSEMBLY AND LOCKING OF SAID DRIVE ASSEMBLY AGAINST ADOWNWARD TILTING, SAID VALVE APPARATUS ALSO HAVING A SECOND FLUIDRESERVOIR THEREIN AND A FLOW CHANNEL CONNECTING THE BOTTOM OF THE SECONDRESERVOIR WITH THE FIRST FLUID CHAMBER OF THE CYLINDER, SAID VALVEAPPARATUS HAVING A CHECK VALVE IN SAID FLOW CHANNEL AND OBSTRUCTING FLOWFROM THE CYLINDER TO THE SECOND RESERVOIR WHEREBY TO NORMALLY LOCK THEDRIVE ASSEMBLY AGAINST UPWARD TILTING, AND SAID VALVE APPARTUS HAVINGMEANS OPENING SAID CHECK VALVE IN RESPONSE TO A PREDETERMINED FLUIDPRESSURE IN SAID PASSAGE WHEREBY TO PERMIT FLUID TRANSMISSION FROM THEFIRST CHAMBER TO THE SECOND RESERVOIR WHEN HYDRAULIC FLUID PRESSURE ISAPPLIED IN THE SECOND CHAMBER FOR TILTING SAID DRIVE ASSEMBLY UPWARDLY.